Frank Hatchett

Life

Frank Hatchett is a legend of American Jazz dance and is known as “The Doctor of Jazz”. Born and raised in Massachusetts, Hatchett was surrounded by a musical family, which influenced his early life. Hatchett’s family sung gospel, his father played the piano professionally, and his sister took dance classes. For years, Hatchett would wait for his sister at the studio and follow along silently to the dance steps. Feeling too uncomfortable to join the class himself, his sister’s dance teacher offered to give him private lessons. He agreed and eventually found the confidence to perform with his sister at a dance recital. Later he began teaching his friends how to dance in his grandmother’s basement. To this day, Hatchett continues to teach and choreograph as he has done for 30 consecutive years. Some find it hard to think of Hatchett as once an insecure young boy because today he is admired for his buoyancy, energy and spirit both inside and outside the dance studio. Currently, Hatchett is the Dean of Dance at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City and continues to teach classes throughout America and abroad.

Training

Hatchett started training at a young age in his local dance studio. He continued his studies in dance at the University of Connecticut and then moved to Philadelphia to be taught by the famous dancer, Eleanor Harris. The first production Hatchett was hired for was called “Smart Affairs” in Atlantic City. He toured, performing in a dozen shows and then decided it would be more promising to return to college. When Hatchett finished college, he founded his own studio in 1967 called the Frank Hatchett Center for the Performing Arts in Springfield Massachusetts. Hatchett moved to New York and began professionally choreographing and nationally touring in the 1980s. In 1982 he co-established what is now known as the Broadway Dance Center of Performing Arts. Over the years, Hatchett expanded his range of movement by taking dance classes in African, East-Indian and Caribbean styles, but refused to conform to any “one” style of dance. After developing fundamental skills in a variety of dance genres, Hatchett developed his own unique style of dance, VOP.

Great Works

Hatchett has not only successfully opened his own dance studio and created VOP, but he has published his ideas on dance and offers personal classes. He has taught many genres of dance, as well as his own style around the world. He has given lessons to other choreographers as well as multiple celebrities including Madonna, Brooke Shields, Naomi Campbell, Vanessa Williams and Olivia Newton-John. Hatchett has brought his teachings to film with tutorial videos and has co-authored a book about himself, jazz dance and VOP, titled “Frank Hatchett’s Jazz Dance”. On CNBC there was a series featuring Frank Hatchett exclusively, which was awarded an Emmy. Hatchett received a Fred Astaire Award in 2002 and continues to share his work at the much-anticipated Broadway Dance Center showcase that is held annually at the Lincoln Center.

Style of Dance

VOP is not a real word, it is not an abbreviation either, it is a style of dance that encompasses feeling. VOP is an ageless style of dance that uses a wide range of movements, old and new. It combines classic dance techniques with modern day street trends. When teaching dancers his VOP style, Hatchett has stressed the importance of the “marriage between the movement and the music”. VOP encourages one to use their training in partnership with their own artistic interpretation of the music found in their soul. VOP is expressive and requires confidence and character along with a different unique energy that is not necessary in any other type of dance.

Impact on the Dance World

To me, Frank Hatchett is one of the most compelling choreographers of this modern day. Through his innovative work, he has broadened the art form of jazz dance. Although Hatchett is renowned for his VOP dance style, and is a jazz dancer at heart, he has made it evident that one must have a foundation of dance skills to be a well-rounded, successful dancer. Hatchett has strong views on dance and has continued to remind us that studying the basic principles of dance and training in all dance styles is imperative to becoming a strong dancer. He has taught dancers from all technical backgrounds, skill levels and age and has given them insight into his distinct, soulful choreographic style, VOP. His enthusiasm as a teacher in his workshops has inspired hundreds of dancers.